Detonating burglar-alarm



(No ModeLj W. C, LONGSTRETH. 'DETONATING BURGLAR ALARM.

$10,554,887. Patented Feb. 18,1896.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. LONGSTRETH, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

DETOINATING BURGLAR-ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,887, dated February18, 1896.

Application filed July 25, 1895. Serial No. 7,137. (No model.)

'State of California, have invented an Improvement .in Burglar-Alarms;and I hereby declare the following to be a'full, clear, and exactdescription of the same.

My invention relates to that class of burglar-alarms adapted for readyattachment to doors and windows, and which upon tampering with the dooror sash are caused to explode a percussion-cap, thereby giving thealarm.

My invention consists of a stock or body having a shoulder with aprojecting holdingarm, another arm at about right angles and having astriking-lug, a spring-hammer connected with one end of the stock orbody and having its other end freely playing over the arm having thestriking-lug, and means on the hammer for holding the cap in position tobe exploded by the striking-lug.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, efficient, andportable burglar-alarm adapted to be readily applied to either door orwindow, as may be required.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanationof my invention, Figure 1 is a view of my alarm. .Fig. 2 shows itsapplication to a door. Fig. 3 shows its application to a window. Fig. atshows it applied to the window-sashes when opened.

A is the body or stock, having a shoulder ata with a projectingholding-arm B.

C is the spring-hamm er, slotted over an arm D projecting from theshoulder a at about right angles with arm B, said arm D having acontact-lug cl at its outer extremity, against which the spring-hammeris adapted to strike with violence sufficient' to explode a cap. Thiscap (designated by E) is held upon the hammer under the edge of a buttonF, which has a shank f passing through the hammer, and is controlled bya spring f around said shank, whereby the button is normally held downto clamp upon and hold the cap.

In practice the several parts heretofore described are best constructedas follows: The body or stock, its holding-arm B and the hammer O areall made out of a single piece of spring metal, and the tendency of thehammer is to spring outwardly to its contact with the striking-lug d ofarm D, which said arm is a separate piece of metal secured properly tothe inside of the shoulder a. The hammer at the point 0 where the caprests is raised or bulged outwardly to form a proper seat for the capand to insure its perfect contact with the lug and-its consequentexplosion.

The use of the device in connection with a door is shown in Fig. 2,wherein G is the door and 9 its keyhole. The door is first locked andthen the key is removed. Then the operator, placing his finger under theend of the button-shank f, presses the button outwardly, to enable himto put the cap edge under it. The button being released, the cap isheld. He now presses the spring-hammer toward the stock, until thehammer extremity and the arm B come together and lie about parallel.Then he inserts both arm B and the short extremity of the hammer intothe keyhole, which being narrow will hold the parts in this set positionand will also hold the whole device in place. "When the attempt is madeto open the door, by inserting a key from without, said key coming incontact with the arm B will force the whole device inwardly, and aslight movement in this direction will release the hammer extremity fromthe keyhole. Thereupon the hammer will spring away, and, carrying thecap into violent contact with the striking-lug d, will explode the capand give the alarm.

Its use in connection with a window is shown in Fig. 3, in which H isthe meetingrail of the lower sash and H the meeting-rail of the uppersash. The device, provided with a cap and set for action, as described,is fitted with its arm 13 and hammer end projecting down between themeeting-rails,and its shoulder a, resting on the rail H. An attempt toraise the lower sash will lift the device by its shoulder and so carrythe hammer end from between the rails, thereby relieving it and allowingit to act.

The device can also be used in a window, when the sashes are open forventilation, by resting it upon its shoulder on the meetingrail of thelower sash and placing a block I, of wood or other material, as is shownin Fig. 4, against the glass of the upper sash, thereby providing forkeeping the hammer forced into IOO a set position, said hammer by itselasticity keeping the block in place.

It is obvious, without need of illustration, that the device may be setin the crack of a door, between its front edge and the doorcasing, sothat upon opening the door the hammer will spring back and explode thecap.

The device is portable, and transferable from door to window and viceversa.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A burglar-alarm comprising a stock, having a holding-arm and an armprovided with a striking-1n g, said arms being approximately at rightangles with each other, and said stock being returned upon itself andbrought into proximity with the holding-arm,when set, and to springoutwardly therefrom, when released whereby the hammer is thrown intocontact with the striking-lug.

2. A burglar-alarm, comprisinga stock havin g a shoulder a and the ontwardly-exten din g arms, said arms being disposed approximately atright angles with each other and one of said arms being provided with astriking-lug, a spring-hammer connected at one end with the stock andhaving its opposite or free end adapted to be brought into proximitywith the holding-arm, when set, and to spring outwardly therefrom, whenreleased ,whereby the hammer is thrown into contact with thestriking-lug, and a means yieldingly secured on the hammer for holding apercussion-cap, in position to be struck by the lug.

A burglar-alarm, comprising a stock having a holding-arm and astriking-lug, a springhammer connected at one end with the stock andhavingits other end adapted to be brought into proximity with theholding-arm of said stock when set, and to spring outwardly there fromwhen released, whereby the hammer is thrown into contact with thestrikin g-ln g, and

a means on said hammer for holding a percussion-cap in position to bestruck by the lug, consisting of the spring-controlled button.

4. A burglar-alarm,comprising a stock. having a shoulder and aholding-arm projecting from the shoulder, an arm secured to said stockand having a strikin g-lu g, a s iiring-hammer connected at one end tothe stock and having its other end guided over the strikinglug arm,whereby the hammer when pressed in may be set, and when released mayspring outwardly into contact with the striking-lug, and means on thehammer for hold ing a pereussion-cap in position to be struck by thelug.

5. A burglar-alarm, comprising a stock having a shoulder and aholding'arm projecting from the shoulder, an arm secured to said stockand having a striking-1n g,a spring-hammer connected at one end to thestock and having its other end guided over the striking lug arm, wherebythe hammer when pressed in may be set, and when released may springoutwardly into contact with the striking-lug, and means on the hammerfor holding a percussion-cap in position to be struck by the l u g,consisting of the spring-controlled button.

(3. A burglar-alarm consisting of a piece of spring metal bent to formthe stock, the shou der, the holding-arm and the opposing hammer, thearm D secured to the shoulder, said arm passing freely through thehammer and having the striking-lug with which the hammer is adapted tocome in contact, and the spring-controlled button 011 the hammer forholding the cap in position to be struck by the lug.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

VILLIAM (I. LONGS'IRETH.

\Vitnesses:

A. E. BAcoN, E. M. MORGAN.

